Durable, glossy fascia associated with articles such as automobiles, luggage, appliances, and other durable articles made from plastics increase both the aesthetic appeal and the utility of these articles. These article attributes are provided, in part, through the incorporation of ionomer materials.
Ionomer materials are known in the art, and are useful in laminates to coat various substrates to form composite articles. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,264,272, 5,482,766, 4,148,972, 5,543,233, 4,800,130, 4,656,098, 5,206,294, 4,335,175, U.S. patent application Publication Nos. 2001/003021, 2002/0114951, 2002/0114965, DE 36 26 809 A, EP 0 721 856, EP 0 342 897, EP 1 279 493, EP 0 287 839, JP 08269409, JP 2000085062, JP 04052136, WO 01/78981, WO 02/078953, and WO 02/078954. Ionomer laminates are useful for their scratch and abrasion resistance, as well as toughness and aesthetic appeal. However, with a growing demand for new applications for ionomer laminates and composite articles produced from ionomer laminates, there continues to be a need for new materials to produce new laminates for the wide array of applications.
The invention fulfills this need by providing for new tie-layer materials that may be used in new ionomer laminates and new composite articles produced from those ionomer laminates